High throughput electron transfer from carbon dots to chloroplast: a rationale of enhanced photosynthesis

• Published in: Nanoscale Vol. 6; no. 7; p. 3647
• Main Authors: Chandra, Sourov, Pradhan, Saheli, Mitra, Shouvik, Patra, Prasun, Bhattacharya, Ankita, Pramanik, Panchanan, Goswami, Arunava
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 07-04-2014
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - chemistry; Amines - chemistry; Animals; Carbon - chemistry; Chloroplasts - chemistry; Chloroplasts - metabolism; Electron Transport; Mice; Microwaves; NADP - chemistry; Oxidation-Reduction; Phosphorylation; Photons; Photosynthesis; Quantum Dots - chemistry; Quantum Dots - metabolism
• ISSN: 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/c3nr06079a

A biocompatible amine functionalized fluorescent carbon dots were developed and isolated for gram scale applications. Such carbogenic quantum dots can strongly conjugate over the surface of the chloroplast and due to that strong interaction the former can easily transfer electrons towards the latter by assistance of absorbed light or photons. An exceptionally high electron transfer from carbon dots to the chloroplast can directly effect the whole chain electron transfer pathway in a light reaction of photosynthesis, where electron carriers play an important role in modulating the system. As a result, carbon dots can promote photosynthesis by modulating the electron transfer process as they are capable of fastening the conversion of light energy to the electrical energy and finally to the chemical energy as assimilatory power (ATP and NADPH).